Activities for Green Eggs and Ham

Children may not like green eggs and ham, but they love Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. The fun words in this book, all fifty of them, work together to tell a delightful tale of choice, chance and determination. Use activities to enhance this exciting story.

Breakfast and bravery

After reading about Sam, I am and his green eggs and ham, make them for your children. Add green food coloring to scrambled eggs. Even vegetarian children can join in the fun. Simply use Wham, a product made to simulate ham. Cook it together on a hot plate and have students who are willing to try taste the food. Introduce the phraseology, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” to the children as you discuss how things don’t always taste, look, feel, like you think they will.

Matching the rhymes

Matching is a great way to share the rhyming words in Green Eggs and Ham. Write each rhyming word on one card. Shuffle them and turn them upside down. Each player turns over two cards. If they match, they read them, keep the cards and go again. If they don’t match, they read them and turn them upside down again. The player with the most matches wins the game.

Junior Dr. Seuss

Rhyming is prevalent in all of Dr. Seuss’s masterpieces. Read Green Eggs and Ham and make up a class story based on reading. Would you read it here or there? Would you read it anywhere? Have students create one two line rhyme about where they would read a book. Create a class book or a class PowerPoint to share with parents.

Choices versus peer pressure

Use the book to teach about choices and peer pressures. Teach them that it is okay to say no, to not go along with the crowd. In the same lesson, teach children how important it is to have an open mind and to make their choices based on knowledge rather than feelings.

Green Eggs and Ham game

Play a game with your students. Make a copy of a plate of ham from Seussville by clicking here and eggs from here and color them green. Put double-stick tape on the back of the eggs. Blindfold the players and let the children attempt to put the eggs on the plate with the ham.

Writing skills

Have your students write a letter to a friend. The writer should try to convince the receiver to try the new dish, green eggs and ham.

Ads

Have students create ads selling the public on the idea of eating green eggs and ham. Video tape each group in a separate room and enjoy watching the videos together. Ask a parent to be your video-photographer.

Breakfast place mat

Make a place mat using the pictures found in the last activity. Glue them on to large construction paper. Cover the construction paper with clear contact paper to create a wipe-able breakfast place mat.

What’s in a name?

Teach your students a game you are certain they will enjoy, but give it a dull, boring name. Try to get them excited based on the name alone; then teach the students how to play. After the game, talk about your game versus the Green Eggs and Ham experience.

Sense and sensibility

Use Green Eggs and Ham to teach about the sense of taste. Bring several food items, some familiar and some unusual to class. Encourage your children to taste each one. Have glasses of water and saltine crackers for students to drink in case they meet a taste they do not like. Try to avoid gross food that you know none of the children will like and do not force anyone to try something they do not want to try.